Topic: Humor

Goldie Blox (Ruins) Rules the School

After accidentally sending the second story of the Blox School to Mars, Goldie Blox is sent to Higgs Bozon Prep. On her first day of school, Goldie causes chaos. Three of Goldie’s classmates decide Goldie should go back to her old school, and they’re willing to do anything to make that happen.

Goldie makes a plan to rebuild the Blox School, but she’s going to need all the help she can get. With the help of her classmates, she plans the repairs for the Blox School. All Goldie needs to do is form a team, bend some rules, and deal with one very grumpy mayor. But at least she’ll make some friends along the way!

Goldie Blox loves to create gizmos and gadgets. Engineering is easy for her, and her inventions work despite the fact that she never has a plan. While repairing the Blox School, her team “did very little measuring,” but they were still able to create five amazing classrooms, a cafeteria, bathrooms, and an epic climbing tower in just one day. Although the process of building the school is entertaining, the story leaves out the hard work and planning that goes into any engineering feat.

Goldie Blox (Ruins) Rules the School uses humor and silly antics to introduce the idea of engineering. Most of the humor comes from the chaos that Goldie’s inventions cause. However, Goldie’s dog Nacho adds some bathroom humor, including him “licking his butt.” The humorous tone and the fast pace of the story will entertain readers as it teaches that it’s more important to make a difference than to fit in.

Goldie Blox (Ruins) Rules the School also shows how trash can be repurposed. Goldie uses “creative recycling” to build the Blox School. Although the results are completely outrageous and unbelievable, younger readers will enjoy Goldie’s crazy antics. Goldie is smart, creative, and willing to tackle any engineering project. The story is accessible to younger readers because it uses easy vocabulary, short paragraphs, and cartoonish black and white illustrations that appear every three to five pages. The Goldie Blox Series combines humor, friendship, and engineering into an entertaining story that readers will enjoy.

 Sexual Conte

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • The mayor tells Goldie, “You’re a rotten apple, and I will not let you ruin the bushel.”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History

Today, Orville and Wilbur Wright are celebrated as heroes for their revolutionary contributions to science and engineering. They are acknowledged as the first men to successfully achieve powered, piloted flight. But their road to success was far from smooth. The Wright brothers encounter plenty of bumps, bruises, and mechanical failures along their way!

The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History takes the reader through the history of flight, beginning with Icarus. While many people made important discoveries about flight, the Wright brothers were the first to learn how to control a flyer and get it off the ground. While most people have heard about the Wright Brothers, the magnitude of their accomplishment cannot be fully appreciated until you have read The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History.

The Wright brothers were dedicated and they knew the importance of study and observation. In order to learn about flight, Wilbur reached out to the Smithsonian Institute and was given “any and all research available on aviation and human flight.” While the brothers studied and experimented, Wilbur and Orville also ran a successful business. The two brothers also had some epic failures, including injuries, embarrassments, and accidentally killing someone. Despite this, they persevered and never gave up on their dream. Their success was not based on luck. “It was hard work and common sense; they put their whole heart and soul and all their energy into an idea and they had the faith.”

The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History teaches history in an engaging way. Both historical pictures and cartoonish, black and white illustrations appear on most pages. Many of the illustrations are comical, such as when the brothers were “greeted by swarming mosquitoes.” The short chapters, large text, and illustrations that appear on almost every page make the book accessible to readers. Some of the vocabulary is explained; however, readers may still struggle with the difficult vocabulary. The book ends with a timeline of important events in flight history.

The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History uses a conversational tone that makes learning about history fun. The Wright brothers and other historical figures prove that failure is part of the process of achieving one’s dreams. Instead of looking at failure in a negative light, The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History shows that every failure can be a learning experience. The book highlights the importance of perseverance, dedication, and education. The Wright brothers “never let their failures get the better of them, never let anyone tell them something couldn’t be done, and never gave up on their dreams.”

Sexual Content

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Violence

  • In 1808, two men went up in hot air balloons and “started shooting at each other’s balloons with their muskets.” The loser “tumbled hundreds of feet to his death.” Of course, the argument was about a lady.
  • In 1861, Union soldier Thaddeus Lowe used a hot air balloon in battle. “While he was taking notes on troop positions the balloon broke away from the rope holding it to the ground. . .” The Confederates captured him.
  • While playing ice hockey, Wilbur “took a hockey stick to his face, smashing out most of his teeth, laying him out, and injuring him so badly he had to drop out of school to recover.”
  • Otto Lilienthal created a glider, but he “lost control of his glider, fell fifty feet, and broke his back on impact with the ground. He died the next day.”
  • During a flying demonstration, Orville and Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge went up in the air. The flyer “plummeted several hundred feet, then smashed hard into the dirt, crumpling into wreckage and sending bits of plane scattering in every direction. [Selfridge] became the first person in history to die in a plane crash.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • When Charles Manley attempted flight, he landed in icy water. After he got out, he “slammed down a shot of whiskey.”

Language

  • Heck is used twice. For example, when humans first learned to fly in hot air balloons, they had to figure out, “How the heck do we land this thing?”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Good for Nothing Button!

Yellow Bird is excited to show his friends a red button that is good for nothing. When Blue Bird presses the button, he is surprised. When Red Bird presses the button, the button makes him sad. While Blue Bird and Red Bird talk about the button making them feel something, Yellow Bird gets upset. Yellow Bird yells, “The button cannot make you sad. The button does nothing.” In the end, the birds all agree that the button can make them funny.

The Good for Nothing Button is a humorous story that teaches colors and emotions. Readers will giggle as they read the silly antics of the three friends. Readers will love the little worm that appears at the beginning and end of the story. The fast-paced plot will keep readers flipping the pages as they wonder if the good for nothing button actually does something.

Younger readers will appreciate the simple text and silly dialogue. The Illustrations use primary colors to create simple pictures that show the emotions of the birds. Each character’s speech appears in a different colored text box, which makes it easy for readers to know who is speaking. Each page has a full-page illustration and 1-3 simple sentences. Many sentences are just one word. Readers who love silly stories will enjoy the three birds as they discover that the good for nothing button actually does something.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Goldie Blox and the Three Dares

While in the attic, Goldie Blox finds her grandmother’s book of dares. With the help of her friends, she is determined to finish the last three remaining challenges. However, one of the challenges may be impossible. Despite this, Goldie Blox is determined to succeed and make her grandmother proud.

Goldie and her friends complete a series of dares ranging from eating a hot pepper, smelling a rotting fish flower, stealing the original Bloxtown blueprints, and having a picnic on the moon. While completing the challenges, Goldie and her friends each use talent and engineering. For example, when Goldie and her friends need to cross a swollen river, Goldie makes a zip line. For another task, Ruby uses her minicomputer to deactivate the museum’s alarm system.

Goldie Blox and the Three Dares introduces readers to STEM and features a group of interracial friends. The friends are illustrated with different skin tones; however, the characters’ races are never discussed nor does it affect any of the characters’ behaviors. The story focuses on each character’s unique talent and personality. Despite the friends’ differences, each person helps Goldie complete the challenges.

The story shows the power of imagination, problem-solving, and extreme risk-taking. Goldie is up for any challenge and has more freedom than the average seven-year-old. For example, Goldie and her friends are dropped off at a trailhead and embark on an overnight camping trip. While some of the events are presented in a cartoony way, some of the dares could lead to injury. Also, while completing the challenges, Goldie’s parents know that Goldie and her friends are planning on breaking into a museum and they allow the children to proceed with the theft as long as they return the stolen item afterward.

Goldie Blox and the Three Dares will appeal to younger readers. The story uses easy vocabulary, short paragraphs, and cartoonish black and white illustrations that appear every three to five pages. Goldie and her friends are smart and creative; however, the story never explains how any of their inventions are created. Also, some of the antics are too outrageous to be believable. For example, while breaking into the museum, the guard has an alligator on a leash. In order to distract the alligator, Goldie’s dog, Nacho, “dropped a potato chip. Then another and another. He made a trail of snacks leading away from the Gearheads.”

The Goldie Blox Series will entertain readers and spark their interest in engineering. The Goldie Blox toy line will also give readers a chance to create some gadgets of their own. Younger readers interested in engineering will also enjoy Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. Strong readers who want books that combine engineering and positive friendships should put the Ellie Engineer Series by Jackson Pearce at the top of their reading list.

 Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

  • Goldie modifies her walking stick to sing a different version of 99 bottles of beer on the wall. Instead of using beer, the stick sings, “One hundred bottles of superglue in the shop. . . Take one down, use it all up.”

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

“If you give a cat a cupcake, he’ll ask for some sprinkles to go with it. When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you’ll give him a bathing suit . . .”

A little girl has a messy, mischievous cat who loves to have fun. The little girl takes the cat to the beach, to the gym, and to a merry-go-round. The little girl often has a surprised look on her face, while the adorable black cat is full of enthusiasm.

This simple story has one sentence on each page, which makes it a quick read. Each page’s illustration shows the cat and his girl. The illustrations are often humorous. For example, the cat finds a “few” things to put in his beach pail; however, the pail overflows and contains a vast amount of items—seaweed, a boot, a hat, a toy truck, a hairbrush, etc. Other illustrations are silly, such as when the cat creates a sandcastle with the girl as part of it. The easy-to-read text and fun pictures make If You Give a Cat a Cupcake a fun book for younger readers.

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake will delight younger readers and introduce the idea of cause and effect. Sprinkle some fun into your day and read If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. Just beware, the story will give you a craving for a cupcake of your own.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Splat the Cat with a Bang and a Clang

Splat’s friends decide to start a band called the Cat Gang and each person has a part. Spike plays the drums. Plank plucks a guitar. Kitten sings. But Splat doesn’t know how to play an instrument. He doesn’t know how to sing. But his friends encourage him to “use his head” and find out how he can be a part of the band. Even though Slat has a hard figuring out how he can contribute to the band, his friends keep reassuring him. In the end, Splat finds a unique instrument. On the night of the show, Splat and his friends are all able to perform.

Young readers will giggle because Splat can’t dance, and they will smile because Splat’s friends still want him to be part of the band. He tries to play the drums, a horn, and a bell with disastrous results. Splat gets a little discouraged because he doesn’t make “the right sound.” Despite this, his friends continue to encourage him, and they remind him to “use his head.”

Using humor, Splat the Cat With A Bang And A Clang will encourage readers to try new things. Splat didn’t find the solution to his problem, the first time, or the second time, or the third time. But, he never gives up. Splat’s musical adventure will teach readers the importance of perseverance. Splat’s story has the same message as Winston Churchill who said, “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

As Splat struggles, the bright, full-page illustrations show his emotions that range from hopelessness, disappointment, embarrassment, and happiness. Readers will love the humorous pictures and parents may want to use Splat’s facial expressions to talk about different emotions.

Readers will enjoy the Splat the Cat Series which has the same cast of relatable characters in each book. The simple plot and easy vocabulary is geared towards beginning readers. Most pages have 2 to 4 simple sentences and onomatopoeias, which make Splat the Cat With A Bang And A Clang a quick read. The story is designed for readers who can read on their own but may still need a little help. Splat the Cat With A Bang And A Clang. For more silly, giggly, reading fun, check out Pets on the Loose! by Victoria Jamieson.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Quest for the Golden Fleas

Welcome to Mount Olympus, a pet supply and rescue center that sits high on a hill in Athens, Georgia. By day, the overconfident hamster Zeus, wise cat Athena, proud pufferfish Poseidon, loyal grasshopper Demeter, and treat-loving pug Ares are under the watchful eye of their caretaker, Artie, who is obsessed with Greek history. Her favorite podcast, “Greeking Out,” so enthralls her pets with its legendary tales of heroes and heroines that they believe themselves to be the actual megastars of mythology!

Under the cover of nightfall, this gang of gods pursues quests bestowed upon them by the magical, all-knowing Oracle of Wi-Fi. From an accidental plunge into a raging whirlpool (a toilet), to an epic voyage aboard the Argo (a robot vacuum), join Zeus and his minions in this romp through Greek mythology.

The Quest for the Golden Fleas is a strong start to the Zeus The Mighty Series. The hamster Zeus’s arrogance and desire to prove his worth gets him into hilarious situations. Readers will laugh when Zeus and the other Greek gods find wonder and danger in everyday objects. For example, when Zeus and his friends inspect the contents of a purse, they are amazed by the “artifacts” and believe “this relic is surely enchanted.” Similar to the ancient Greek gods, Zeus and Poseidon often disagree, which adds suspense and humor to the story.

Zeus is convinced that finding the golden fleas will prove he is worthy of ruling Olympia. While Zeus looks for the golden fleas, he abandons Demeter, who is being chased by a dragon (an iguana). All of the danger comes to life in black and white illustrations that excellently show the emotions of all of the animals. The illustrations show Athena racing through the store on a robot vacuum and bats chasing Zeus as he wields his shield (a tape measure) and blasts the bats with torchlight (a flashlight). While much of the plot is humorous, Zeus learns an important lesson—friendship is more important than a “furry old Fleece.”

While readers may not understand all of the references to Greek Mythology, the non-stop action will keep readers entertained. Zeus and the other gods are all completely different in a loveable way. The unique story combined with the funny illustrations will appeal to young readers. The Quest for the Golden Fleas will spark readers’ interest in Greek Mythology. The back of the book gives historical information about the Greek gods and The Myth of Jason and the Argonauts. For more humorous mythology, readers should add the Odd Gods Series by David Slavin & Daniel Weitzman to their must-read list. For readers who desire a more action-packed mythological story, the Underworlds Series by Tony Abbott will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Sexual Content

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Violence

  • A colony of bats (Harpies) attacks Zeus. When Zeus tries to turn on the light, “Another Harpy barreled out of the blackness. Zeus blinded it but not before it lashed out and nearly knocked the torch from his arm.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • When Poseidon gets out of his fishbowl, Zeus asks, “What is that fool doing?”
  • An old hamster calls Zeus a coward.
  • Heck is used once.

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

  • When Zeus opens a portal (a door), he says, “Thank gods.”

Goldie Blox and the Best! Pet! Ever!

Bloxtown is hosting a pet pageant and the winner gets to name the new animal shelter. Goldie’s friend Li wants to name the animal shelter “Dr. Zhang Animal Shelter” after his grandmother. To help Li, Goldie, and her dog, Nacho, enter the contest. Even though Nacho spends his time napping and chasing his tail, Goldie is confident that she and her friends can teach Nacho everything he needs to know in order to win the contest.

When rich and snobby Zeek Zander enters the contest, Goldie is even more determined to win. Zeek doesn’t like pets and wants to call the shelter “Flea Bag Hotel for Ugly Dogs.” With the help of Zeek’s Butler Phone, Zeek sets out to get the best pet and win the race. Will Goldie and her friends be able to teach Nacho to follow commands? Will they be able to beat Zeek?

Goldie and her friends turn to engineering in order to get Nacho to run an obstacle course and follow commands. However, Nacho is more interested in sleeping and eating. In order to help Nacho get ready for the contest, Goldie and her friends make many gadgets, such as a tuxedo programmed to music. Younger readers will giggle at Nacho’s response to the gadgets and his crazy antics.

Goldie and her friends demonstrate positive friendship traits. One morning Goldie discovers Nacho missing. Her friends quickly jump in to help find Nacho. Ruby uses a drone to help find Nacho. However, Ruby used questionable methods to obtain the drone. Ruby says, “I may have borrowed one from HiBo Prep. And I may have hacked the system. And I may need you to keep it secret.” At another point in the story, Goldie enters a contest and she doesn’t win first place. But that doesn’t stop her from celebrating. The story emphasizes that winning a contest doesn’t make Goldie a winner. Instead, Goldie celebrates because “We built an awesome go-cart and had an amazing race. It was so much fun!”

Goldie Blox and the Best! Pet! Ever! will appeal to younger readers because of its humor. The story introduces readers to the idea of engineering; however, the story doesn’t explain the process that goes into making gadgets. The story is accessible to younger readers because it uses easy vocabulary, short paragraphs, and cartoonish black and white illustrations that appear every three to five pages. Goldie and her friends demonstrate positive traits such as perseverance and working together. Readers who want to delve into more books that mix science and humor should put The Data Set Series by Ada Hopper on their must-read list.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • Zeek calls Goldie and her friends losers.

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Spider-Man: Far from Home: Peter and Ned’s Ultimate Travel Journal

Spider-Man is off to Europe on a science exploration, crime-fighting adventure! While on vacation, Peter Parker and his best friend, Ned Leeds, decide to create a travel journal where they jot down all the exciting things that happened to them during their trip. From St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice to the Globe Theatre in London, Ned tells readers about the most astounding and historic spots to visit in Europe. While web-slinging, Peter introduces readers to European street food, including German pretzels and English toasties. Mary Jane introduces Europe’s most notable, historic women to the boys as she takes them to the weirdest and scariest places in Europe, including Cemetery Island in Venice and the Museum of Communism in Prague. The ultimate, web-shooting travel journal really has it all!

From the Venetian gelato to the London Eye, their international trip seems to be going great until Peter finds himself having to save the world again. As he fights world-threatening monsters, Peter struggles with becoming a big-time superhero and his new crush on his friend, Mary Jane. It’s a big step up from being just the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man. Will Peter be able to come to terms with his new identity, defeat the monsters, and finish the journal—or will the world fall into chaos?

 Peter and Ned’s Ultimate Travel Journal is a fun, educational read for young readers. Peter, Ned, and Mary Jane’s adventures across Europe, along with their witty humor, make the book fun to read. It introduces young readers to Europe’s many different, historic cultures. Throughout the book, Ned introduces historical buildings to the readers, Peter introduces cultural food, and MJ introduces historic European women. Along the way, the trio even has intellectual debates discussing if Italian pizza is better than American pizza, if Nikola Tesla is smarter than Thomas Edison, and if Michelangelo is more influential than Leonardo Da Vinci.

However, readers should watch the movie Spider-Man: Far from Home before reading the travel journal. The journal makes many references to the crime-fighting antics of Spiderman’s on-screen personality, and the journal could be confusing for readers who have not seen the movie. The camaraderie between Peter, Ned, and MJ is entertaining; however, the characters often go way overboard on teen-talk. Even though the plot is not well-developed, the theme of friendship is portrayed throughout the journal.

Nonetheless, the fun, colorful illustrations will interest readers. The artwork appears much like the Spider-Man comic books with colorful pictures of Spider-Man in action and cartoonish pictures of European landmarks. However, some of the pictures are reused, which may bother some readers. With its mild language, this book is a fun read for superhero fans that are interested in learning about other countries.

Sexual Content

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Violence

  • On the plane, Mr. Hutchinson tells Peter that “his ex-wife faked her own death in the Battle of New York …”
  • Ned thinks he is a great friend because “he will take a tranquilizer dart to the neck courtesy of NICHOLAS FURY and not complain about it.” In the movie, Ned is shot in the neck by Nick Fury.

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • Ned’s “No Lips” face will make Peter “laugh so hard he pees his pants.”
  • While in St. Mark’s Square, “a pigeon pooped on” Peter.
  • Ned thinks that “Betty is going to think I’m so smart when I tell her about these kick-butt ladies tomorrow!”
  • Ned thinks it’s funny to “imagine a baby country peeing in a diaper.”
  • Peter wants to snuggle with Mary Jane during the opera while they share opera glasses, but he wonders if there’s “another word for snuggle so I can just ask her without sounding like a dweeb?”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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by Matthew Perkey

Amelia Bedelia on the Job

Amelia Bedelia’s class is learning about jobs, but most of the students don’t know what their parents’ occupations are. Amelia’s father talks about making slides and pitching, so Amelia assumes her father coaches baseball. When Amelia’s class goes on a field trip to a corporate park, she discovers a lot about her father and his job.

In Amelia Bedelia on the Job, Amelia’s story jumps back and forth between Amelia’s home, her school, and a corporate park. During the story, different students share what they learned about jobs. For example, one student gave a report about plants and factories, while another student gives a report on mills. During the field trip, students learn about getting paid, withdrawals, and other work-related items.

Similar to other books, Amelia Bedelia on the Job uses silly illustrations to show what Amelia imagines a word to mean. However, the chapter book also teaches the difference between jargon and slang. While on the field trip, one of the adults also uses idioms in his speech. Even though the idioms are illustrated to mean the literal meaning of the idiom, the idioms’ meanings are never explained in the story’s text. Instead, at the end of the story, there are two pages of illustrated idioms that show their literal and figurative meanings.

Amelia Bedelia’s parents are portrayed in a positive light and they share a cute story about how they met. When he was younger, Amelia’s father was a “jerk.” While telling the story, both parents explain what a “soda jerk” is. Readers who enjoy action-packed stories will be disappointed with Amelia Bedelia on the Job, which feels like an extended vocabulary lesson.

Even though Amelia Bedelia on the Job has black-and-white illustrations that break up the text, the story has some advanced vocabulary which may be confusing for some readers. When Amelia is confused about a word’s meaning, her confusion is often illustrated, which adds some humor to the story. Amelia Bedelia on the Job is packed with information about words and careers. Unfortunately, the story’s focus on teaching gives the story a slow pace, which may cause many readers to put the book down and never pick it up again.

If you’re looking for a book that teaches vocabulary and is an interesting story, you may want to add Hilde Cracks the Case by Hilde Lysiak, Polly Diamond by Alice Kuipers, and Diana Toledano, or Mac B. Kid Spy by Mac Barnett to your reading list.

 Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere

Olga loves animals and science, but she’s not too great with people. When Olga finds a weird creature, she decides to take it home even though it smells terrible. She names the creature Meh after the sound he makes. Olga uses the scientific method to record her discoveries. She writes all of her research in her observation notebook. Olga heads to the library to research, but she soon learns that Meh isn’t in any of the books.

Olga calls Meh’s species olgamus ridiculus. She wants to learn everything about the new species. What does the olgamus eat? Why does its burp sound weird? Does it speak another language? Do they come from space? Olga’s research comes to a stop when Meh disappears. As Olga searches for Meh, she realizes that humans aren’t as bad as she thought.

Olga’s an odd character with a negative attitude. She likes animals more than people because “animals don’t pollute the planet and make wars and lie to you and steal your erasers and call you names. . . Even animals that people usually dislike are cuter than humans, in my humble opinion.” Much of Olga’s humor has to do with sniffing butts, farts, and poop. Olga even uses a page to draw different types of animal poop. Even though Olga makes several derogatory remarks about “evil humans” and their pollution, she doesn’t think twice about sending a huge helium balloon into the sky.

Olga’s illustrations make humans look ugly and weird. There are several humans—the store owner, the librarian, and a kid with squiggles for hair—that are kind to Olga. However, the story focuses so much time on poop, pee, and other gross potty humor, that it’s hard to take away anything good from the story. Even Olga’s observation notebook becomes a joke. Instead of listing anything factual and interesting, she makes observations such as this: “Mister’s Chasing Technique: 1. Run 2. Pee 3. Run 4. Pee.”

Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere is a blend between a graphic novel and a picture book, which will appeal to reluctant readers. The cartoon-like illustrations are drawn in black with red and pink accents. The story uses a blend of regular story text and quote bubbles. Olga’s story will appeal to fans of Captain Underpants. Unfortunately, Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere uses a combination of strange scientific observations, potty humor, and weird-looking humans. Olga’s story is one that is best left off of readers’ bookshelves.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • When Olga talks about animals being better than people, she draws animals (including a baby earthworm and a baby fly). The animals appear next to a boy that looks like a potato and even has a shirt that says, “I ♥ Potatoes.” Olga writes, “Not too hard to pick a loser here, is it?”
  • “OMG” and “Oh my god” are both used once.
  • Olga’s neighbors refer to Meh as a “fart balloon.”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Mac Cracks the Code

The Queen of England calls on Mac B. once again! This time, Mac must crack a secret code that has been recovered from a double agent. A series of clues leads Mac to France, to Japan where he comes face-to-face with his arch-nemesis the KGB Man, and to the world headquarters of Nintendo! Is the KGB Man secretly behind all of this? Are Mac’s video game skills good enough to face down his enemy at the Video Game World Championships?

Even though the events in Mac Cracks the Code are at times ridiculous, the story incorporates historical and language lessons into the events. The story teaches spy terminology such as cytologist, as well as portmanteau words. There are also world maps that show Mac’s travel routes, which helps readers understand where countries are in relation to each other. Readers will also be eager to try to figure out the clues to the mystery.

Mac Cracks the Case will entertain even the most reluctant readers with its fast pace and hilarious events. Short sentences, humorous illustrations, and simple vocabulary will help readers build confidence. Video games play a part in the story’s plot, which adds interest for those who like video games. Because several of the characters appear in the previous books, readers will get maximum enjoyment if they read the series in order.

In Mac Cracks the Code, Mac tells his own story with humor and puts a spotlight on the absurd. The conclusion will have readers cheering for Max and groaning when the Queen of England gives Max a gift. The Max B. Kid Spy Series continuously gives readers engaging stories that will have readers laughing out loud. Any reader who enjoys intrigue will want to add the Max B. Kid Spy Series to their reading list.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • The KGB man tells Mac, “You look like a doofus!” Mac uses the same words to describe the KGB man.

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Spacedog Cometh

Klawde is not an average cat. He’s an exiled emperor from across the universe. Klawde spends his days plotting his revenge. He will use any means possible to return to his homeland. Klawde is cruel. He’s cunning. He’s also his human’s best friend.

As Klawde plots his cosmic revenge, the space dog Barx arrives on Earth. Barx plans to take Klawde back to his home planet, where Klawde will be punished for his crimes. Unlike Klawde, Barx is loyal and an overall good boy. He also loves to play catch. Barx is determined to bring Klawde to justice. Will the ferocious feline be able to avoid justice?

While Klawde is focused on evading Barx, Raj is faced with his own out-of-town visitor. Although his grandmother is from Earth, she may be even more formidable than Klawde. When Raj’s grandmother plans a birthday party for Raj, he is convinced that the party will lead to the ultimate embarrassment.

Klawde: The Spacedog Cometh brings in two new characters—Barx and Raj’s grandmother. Raj’s grandmother showers Raj with love. She not only begins packing him traditional Indian lunches, but she also invites his entire class to a birthday party that will feature traditional Indian food. Raj loves his grandmother enough not to complain, but he still worries about being different than his classmates. Raj’s relationship with his grandmother leads to some funny, awkward, and surprising situations.

As Raj is trying to survive his grandmother’s visit, Klawde is up to no good. He is convinced that torturing Barx is the key to returning to his home planet. The contrast between Klawde and Barx is amusing and leads to many fight-and-chase scenes. As Klawde and Barx create chaos, Raj doesn’t know if Klawde is being honest or not. After all, Klawde has told him, “Lies are the sharpest arrows in the warrior’s quiver” and “The truth is whatever I say it is.”

Klawde: The Spacedog Cometh continues the engaging, comical story of Klawde. The new characters keep the plot fresh and exciting. Although Klawde’s plans don’t turn out as he had hoped, the conclusion is heartwarming and proves that Klawde will never change. The story continues in the same action-packed format as the previous books. The engaging story has short paragraphs, easy vocabulary, and hilarious blue-and-black illustrations. Not only do the illustrations help the reader imagine the story’s events, but they also highlight Klawde’s various emotions of misery, distaste, and disgust.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Raj brings a dog home, Klawde attacks him. “SLASH! I struck the dog’s nose, claws fully extended. The beast’s eyes snapped open as it yelped in shock and pain. When it saw me, it began to growl, a low rumble that sounded like thunder. Then it charged! Only my superior feline reflexes kept me from the death trap of its snapping jaws.” Klawde hides in his litter box. When the dog follows, “I began to kick up sand with my back paws, creating such a flurry that the canine was blinded.” Klawde eventually races away from the dog, and jumps on Raj’s grandmother’s head. The fight is described over three pages.
  • Klawde calls the dog a “slobbering moron.” In response, the dog bites Klawde’s tail. “The pain—it was like my tail had been blasted by a Zzaxxannian laser torpedo! Fortunately, my cry of agony so surprised Barx that he loosened his grip.” Klawde gets away by climbing a tree.
  • When Klawde finds the dog sleeping, he “bit him on the leg.” The dog doesn’t respond; instead, “Barx merely yawned.”
  • Klawde hides in the bathroom. When Barx comes into the bathroom to drink from the toilet, Klawde attacks. Klawde “sprang from my hiding place, claws fully extended! My left paw slashed Barx’s nose, my right his ear. Barx stumbled backwards in shock.” The dog chases Klawde, who climbs onto the mantel and “flung down a stack of books that the father-ogre kept there. They hit Barx on the shoulder, and he yelped in anger.” Raj’s grandmother shows up and stops the fighting. The fight is described over four pages.
  • Klawde demands that Barx returns to his home planet. When Barx refuses, Klawde calls him a bad dog. “A low growl started in Barx’s throat, and the fur along his spine began to rise. . . ‘Don’t you growl at me!’ I said, slashing him across his hideous snout. Barx bared every single one of his deadly teeth.” Then, Klawde ran from Barx.
  • When Klawde returns to his home planet, the other cats attack. “Just then, the escape pod started to rock. We were being swarmed by the infuriated mob. . .The mob was clawing at the hatch, trying to pry it open.” Klawde makes a desperate last-minute call to Raj, who comes and saves him.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • In his thoughts, Klawde often calls others names. The characters also call each other names, including moron, idiot, jerk, dimwit, imbecile, fool, cowardly scoundrel, dolt, fraud, sniveling charlatan, vile flatterer, and two-faced mongrel.
  • Heck is used three times. For example, when Raj takes a traditional Indian meal to school, someone asks him, “What the heck is that?”
  • When Klawde keeps saying “sit,” Barx says, “Dang it!”
  • Darn is used once. Barx says, “Klawde did something pretty darn awful in my solar system. . .”
  • When Raj sees the lights from a spaceship he thinks, “No. . . freaking. . .way.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

The 39-Story Treehouse: Mean Machines & Mad Professors!

Andy and Terry have added thirteen new levels to their amazing treehouse! With a new trampoline, chocolate waterfall, active volcano, opera house, baby-dinosaur petting zoo, museum, boxing elephant, not-very-merry-go-round, X-ray room, disco dance floor, high-tech office, and the world’s scariest rollercoaster, the treehouse has gotten even more ridiculous!

As usual, Andy and Terry are too busy having absurd amounts of fun to realize that their next book is due tomorrow afternoon. Even though the boys have not written a scrap, Terry has a solution. He unveils his new top-secret invention: a Once-Upon-a-Time Machine that writes and draws the books for them. After the invention locks them out of the treehouse and threatens to write its own books, the duo must seek the aid of a mad professor, who is determined to destroy the universe, in order to save their treehouse.

Will the boys be able to save the universe and the treehouse all while finishing their book?

The Treehouse Series is a fantastic series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton create a silly, funny, and ridiculous story that will leave readers rolling on the floor laughing. In order to finish their book, Terry invents a machine that will write the book for them. After the machine locks the boys out of the treehouse, Andy and Terry go through a range of slapstick scenarios in order to save their treehouse and book series. In the end, the boys realize they should have written their book and not have depended on the machine to do it for them. This teaches readers the importance of doing their own work.

Unlike other books in the series, Griffiths and Denton do not depend on bathroom humor or inappropriate behavior as a crutch for their jokes, but instead, use wordplay and a bit of slapstick comedy to entertain their readers. The funny black-and-white drawings contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

Unlike other series, readers can enjoy each of these books by themselves and the series does not have to be read in order. In the end, this fun, easy-to-read book will teach readers the importance of doing your own work and encourage reluctant readers to finally read. The story’s fast pace and silly situations will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • In the treehouse’s baby-dinosaur petting zoo, one of the velociraptors bites one of Andy’s fingers off. It is illustrated, but not gory or violent.
  • The Once-Upon-A-Time Machine slaps the boys “away whenever we get too close to the treehouse.”
  • The Trunkinator, a giant boxing elephant, “stomps into the room and punches [Professor Stupido] in the nose.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • After Terry’s jet-propelled swivel chair malfunctions, he calls it “stupid.”
  • When the Once-Upon-A-Time machine refuses to let Terry and Andy in, Terry yells, “You’re just a dumb machine that I invented! Open the treehouse door! NOW!”
  • Professor Stupido, the world-famous un-inventor, is a main character in this book. He calls penguins “stupid, flightless things.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 Cabin Fever

Most people love the holiday season, but it makes Greg a nervous wreck. Greg believes that if he makes a mistake in the first eleven months of the year, it’s not a big deal, but if he does something wrong during the holiday season, then he’s in trouble with Santa and won’t get any presents. With Thanksgiving gone and Christmas fast approaching, Greg becomes obsessed with playing Net Kritterz online – a game where he takes constant care of his internet pet Chihuahua. Greg needs money in order to feed and clothe his virtual pet, but after his mom says money is tight, Greg has to create new ways to earn cash quickly.

After Greg’s request to his local church for a ‘donation’ and his snow shoveling business fall through, Greg and his best friend, Rowley, decide to hold their own Holiday Bazaar where they will sell concession snacks, offer holiday games, and make gifts like their school’s own Bazaar. However, after Vice Principal Roy stops them from handing out advertisements at school, the young duo decides to advertise their Bazaar by hanging signs on the outside school wall. But while taping them up, rain begins to pour and the paint on the signs runs, staining the bricks a neon green. With the police hot on their tails, Rowley and Greg flee the scene of the crime.

After the local newspaper carries a story about the vandalism and Vice-Principal Roy demands that the guilty parties come forward the next day, Rowley submits an anonymous note indicating that he and Greg are responsible for the vandalism. Refusing to identify Rowley as his partner in crime, Roy forces Greg to clean the outside bricks alone for hours. When Greg gets home, he learns the police have paid his house a visit and left a note saying that they would be back later. That night, a huge snowstorm traps Greg and his family inside their house. Greg now has to wait out the snowstorm while stressing about the police as his family’s food rations and electricity run out. Will Greg survive the snowstorm and get the chance to clear his name or will he be sent to jail like he fears?

Cabin Fever’s plot revolves around everything that happens in Greg’s life and is told from his 12-year-old perspective. The story contains a lot of bathroom and childish humor and at times the humor and illustrations can be crude and inappropriate for really young readers. At one point in the story, Greg clears a neighbor’s driveway of snow using a sprinkler and feels annoyed when his neighbor slips on the resulting ice. In another part, Greg tries to steal from the collection tray at church in order to pay for his Net Kritterz. Many illustrations also depict a butt, someone using a toilet, or Greg in his underwear.

Despite the book’s bathroom humor, Cabin Fever has positive lessons for young readers. Jeff Kinney has a natural talent for using humor to mask important messages. In this book, Kinney uses Greg and his humor to address gratefulness. When Greg is on the verge of losing everything – electricity, food, shelter, video games – while snowed in, he realizes how grateful he is for his family, friends, and home.  Also, the consistently funny black-and-white comic illustrations will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels, helping even the most reluctant of readers start reading. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever is a fun, easy-to-read story that will entertain readers and teach them to be grateful for their families and friends.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • One of Bryce Anderson’s cronies shoots Greg with a BB gun.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Bathroom and immature humor are used consistently. Words like stupid, jerk, and poop are used frequently.
  • After Greg went to the bathroom, somebody asks, “Did you poop?”
  • Every time someone gets hurt on a piece of playground equipment, the teachers remove it for safety issues. Eventually, the only thing left is the balance beam and Greg thought it would never leave, “but believe it or not, some idiot wasn’t looking where he was going the other day, so now that’s gone, too.”
  • Greg thinks Rowley’s skipping “looks stupid.”
  • When Greg was in elementary school, his teacher, Mr. Harkin, accidentally walked in on him while he was using the bathroom. Greg says he “felt like a jerk” after he told his mom about it.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • It’s Christmastime in the novel; Jesus and God are mentioned.
  • The family goes to church three times and to folk mass one time. Greg says, “Our family usually goes to church at 9:00 a.m., but today we went to the folk service at 11:00.” Greg and his family even go to church on Christmas morning.
  • Greg feels bad for people who have their birthday right around the holidays because it gets lumped together with Christmas and they get cheated out of a gift. Greg guesses it’s been happening for thousands of years and an illustration shows God handing a gift to Jesus saying, “This gift counts for Christmas AND your birthday, Jesus!”

by Matthew Perkey

 Masters of Mischief

After successfully trapping Ralph and his two cronies in South Ridge Middle School, Max’s crazy night seems almost over as police sirens approach. There is just one last thing to do – go home! While evading the police and possible suspensions, Max and Erin dive into the back of a pickup truck just as it is about to take off. What they don’t know is that the pickup truck is driven by the thieves – Ralph, Tucker, and Moose – who all escaped from Max’s traps and the police!

Successfully ditching the pickup truck when it stops for fast food, Erin and Max head home for some well-needed rest. Throughout the weekend and at school on Monday, Max must dodge police, his parents, his nosy neighbors, and a brutal bully to avoid any possible suspicion for his involvement with Friday’s robbery. If Max is caught, he risks detention and probably homeschooling by his grandmother for the rest of his life. However, Max and Erin discover the thieves’ new plan – to pose as security guards to steal the new, expensive school computers when no one is looking. Can Max and Erin avoid detection and detention while stopping the malicious thieves?

Masters of Mayhem is a fun, suspenseful read for young readers. Throughout her three books, Russel has created a character who is troubled just like any other boy his age but manages to strive through his problems and think of others. Max does not flaunt or boast about how he stopped Ralph and his gang and saved the school but instead keeps it to himself. He considers the consequences of his actions and worries about involving Erin and tarnishing her perfect school record. Max cares about other people more than he cares about himself. He even swears to put a stop to the thieves again, risking his own life to protect his new school. He is a role model for young teenagers.

Unlike other books in the series, Russel does not depend on bathroom humor or inappropriate behavior for her jokes. Instead, she puts Max in hysterical and wacky scenarios to entertain her readers. In addition, the book’s cartoonish, manga-like black-and-white illustrations will help readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels, making this story great for young, reluctant readers.

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly is a series that should be read in order. Like every book in the series, Masters of Mischief ends with a suspenseful cliffhanger, so make sure you have the next book in the series ready for your reader.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • After Max and Erin fall into the school dumpster, Max worries that unless he and Erin “can figure out how to get out of this stupid dumpster,” they might never roam free again.
  • Erin doesn’t want her ice princess costume to get damaged. Max says, “Erin only cared about her STUPID ice princess costume.”
  • When Max and Erin hide in the back of a truck, Max worries that “those Neanderthals would see us through that big window in the back of the truck and try to run over us or something.”
  • Max says that if “Erin could sneak out of her house to rescue me, then I could at least sneak INTO my house to save my butt.”
  • Max screams when he sees his sister in an oatmeal face mask. Max’s sister tells him, “Shut up, you birdbrain!”
  • After the police visit their house, Max’s sister comes downstairs and asks if the police were there. Max says his sister is hearing things and she responds with, “Actually, the voices TOLD me to give YOU some mouthwash, BUTT BREATH!”
  • Thug Thurston, Max’s bully, asks Max, “Did you have a nice weekend, BARF?!”
  • Erin fumes and says they “can’t just let these JERKS get away with this!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

Enemies

Klawde and Raj are back! As summer turns to fall, our favorite warlord cat remains in his pitiful, exiled existence. But Raj has an even scarier prospect than cosmic exile: starting at a new school. And if things didn’t seem complicated enough, both cat and human are confronted with two figures from their past they did not expect to pop up in Elba, Oregon.

While Klawde trains three kittens to become warriors, Raj is trying to make new friends and win a robotics contest. The tense story atmosphere chronicles Klawde and Raj as they both seek revenge on an enemy. When Klawde feels depressed and hides out in his bunker, Raj cheers him up with Klawde’s own words: “Revenge is a dish best served as often as possible! Revenge is the best medicine!” Klawde is truly an evil alien warlord who believes “an excellent lie is better than an inconvenient truth.” Even though Raj realizes that revenge isn’t the best medicine, the story has some bullying and gives no advice on how to conquer the problem.

Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat #2 jumps back and forth between Klawde’s and Raj’s points of view. The story focuses on the drama of middle school, using humor and fun illustrations that are washed in blue. Klawde’s violent behavior is often outrageous and humorous, and he perfectly captures cats’ disdain for others. The conclusion shows Raj learning that revenge isn’t the right course of action because it hurts others.

Readers will enjoy the fast-paced story but may have difficulty with some of the advanced vocabulary, such as perfidious, malevolence, nefarious, and exponentially. However, readers will be able to use context clues to understand the meaning of the difficult words. Short chapters, large font, and pictures that are scattered throughout the story will keep even reluctant readers interested. Even though Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat #2 doesn’t have an anti-bullying message, the highly entertaining story will keep readers flipping the pages until the very end.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Klawde teaches kittens to be warriors. As they train, the calico kitten “dispatched each of her brothers so quickly that, for the final match, I paired both girls against her. The fight was even, until on one the grays caught the calico with a strike to the head that sent her sliding across the floor. She crouched in a corner, meowing pitifully… The boys went to check on the state of their sister. Once they were near, the girl sprang forward with a leap so lightning-fast, they had no time to react. She landed on their backs, slashing and biting and yowling with glee.”
  • The calico pretended to be heading towards a nap and then, “she turned, rose up behind her brothers on her hind legs, and crashed their skulls together.”
  • Klawde finds his enemy, who was “finished slurping up the innards of whatever creature he had captured, and crunched its bones between his teeth.”
  • Klawde and his sworn enemy fight. Klawde “cuffed him on his cheek as an answer to his insolence. Then I reached with my other paw to strike at his shoulder. I ducked his next swing, and at the same time used my right hind leg as a surprised cudgel, jackhammering him with a blurred series of blows.” The fight is described over two pages.
  • Klawde is upset, so he attacks a human by “grabbing at his leg. His hideous bare skin now bore four perfectly parallel scratch lines.”
  • After Klawde tampers with Raj’s robot, the robot goes crazy during an assembly, and “it shot the coffee out of Miss Natasha’s hand, and next it sprayed water at Principal Brownepoint, nailing him right in the crotch of his pants. It looked like he’d peed himself!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Klawde gets high on catnip.

Language

  • On the human side, there is some name-calling, including jerk and dork.
  • Klawde has many funny names that he calls both humans and cats alike. For example, he calls a cat an ignorant imbecile, a dim-witted dolt, and a moron.
  • Heck is used twice.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Klawde challenges his enemy to a duel to the death, his enemy “looked like he’d just seen the ghost of King Si-uh-meez, whose spirit is known to appear to cats on their deathbed.”

The Ugly Truth

School’s back in session for Greg Heffley, but this time without his best friend Rowley. After Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days where Greg and Rowley end their friendship, Greg is all alone to face the trials and tribulations of middle school. Everything around Greg changes when puberty starts to strike the middle school population and Greg’s Mom returns to her schooling. He finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increasing responsibilities, and the meaning of getting older all without his best friend. Will Greg survive until winter break or will he have to face the “ugly truth”?

The Ugly Truth’s plot revolves around everything that happens in Greg’s life and is written from his 12-year-old perspective. The story contains a lot of bathroom and childish humor. At one point in the story, Greg puts a whoopie cushion on his Grandma’s chair. When she sits down on it, he can’t stop laughing. After Greg hid rotten eggs in one of his uncle’s pants, his uncle has to move out of the house. The humor is awfully crude and disrespectful at times, and throughout the story Greg is obsessed with trying to get a girlfriend.

Despite the book’s bathroom humor, The Ugly Truth has some positive aspects. Jeff Kinney has a natural talent for using humor to entertain while teaching important life lessons. The Ugly Truth addresses the issue of puberty and the challenges puberty brings in a fun manner. Kinney makes it easy for readers to see that everyone goes through puberty, and it is not something to be ashamed of. Many of the characters even show off some of their changes, like Rowley’s first zit.

The consistent funny black-and-white illustrations help bring Greg’s struggles to life. However, parents should be aware of the book’s drawings and jokes as Kinney often uses bathroom jokes such as Greg’s friends going behind the curtain to make fart sounds at the lock-in. Many of the jokes are inappropriate for really young readers. The topic of sexual health and puberty’s changes comes up often. In addition, parents will not want their children to emulate Greg’s behavior because he demonstrates qualities such as laziness, selfishness, and narcissism. But at the end of the story, Greg shows a sign of maturity and decides to be a better friend to Rowley. He makes the first move in patching things up between them instead of waiting for Rowley to come crawling back to him.

Readers should read the books in sequential order in order to get the full effect of Greg’s character and humor. Many of the events and jokes overlap from book to book. Despite the story’s flaws, readers will relate to Greg as he goes through puberty. The Ugly Truth is a funny, enjoyable story that will entertain and teach practical lessons.

Sexual Content

  • Greg has a major crush on his dental hygienist, Rachel. Greg says, “Rachel always lectures me about brushing and flossing and all that, but she’s so cute that it’s hard to take her seriously.”
  • Greg gets invited to Jordan Jury’s big party along with Rowley and agrees, saying, “I can definitely pretend I’m friends with Rowley for one night if it means I get to play ‘Spin the Bottle’ with a bunch of girls who are a whole grade ahead of me.”
  • Greg thinks about the pros and cons of going to Uncle Gary’s wedding. He thinks about the bachelor party he might be invited to and says, “And as a bonus, at the wedding, I’ll be paired with one of the bridesmaids. I’m just crossing my fingers that Sonja has some cute friends.”
  • Greg’s uncle is getting married for the third time.

Violence

  • After Greg’s big brother, Rodrick, accidentally spits in his father’s face, his father chases after him in the parking lot. Dad trips over the curb, twisting his ankle and having to go to the hospital.
  • Greg accidentally bites his new dentist.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Bathroom and immature humor are used frequently to entertain. Words like pee, bra, butt, and fart are used frequently.
  • This book is full of bathroom jokes. In one instance, Mom called a household meeting and says, “she was tired of having to clean the floor around the toilet because of our ‘lousy aim.’” Greg continues to tell the story of how he got stuck to the bathroom floor after Manny used the bathroom.
  • Greg fakes his mother’s instructions to his Grandpa when he is babysitting the three Heffley boys. The note tells Grandpa to spank Rodrick and has a picture of a naked butt.
  • Greg goes into a locked-in night at his school. Greg remembers, “Every once in a while, somebody would cut the cheese, and that made Mr. Palmero really mad because he couldn’t figure out who was doing it.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez

Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid. Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.

The story focuses on Sofia’s desire to rid the town of a huge trash heap. However, it is unclear where all the garbage came from and in the end, the story doesn’t explain where all the trash went. The huge pile of trash consists of everyday items, egg cartons, spoiled food, disposable cups. Although the everyday items show how everyone contributes to the pile, most younger readers will miss this lesson.

At first, Sophia is overwhelmed and “her heart skipped a beat as she realized each one of her neighbors had said: “Let me know when it’s done!’ They all thought Sofia could build it alone.” However, Sofia doesn’t give up. Instead, she goes to city hall, where she is sent to six different offices, each with a ridiculous silly name like “The Department of Cheese” and the “Office of Monkeys”. Younger readers won’t understand the humor of dealing with a city’s bureaucracy, but they will enjoy seeing a duck, a monkey, and a man dressed as cheese in the offices. Even though Sophia eventually gets the help of her classmates and adults, most of the story focuses on the process of making a park.

Sophia’s determination allows her to go through the process of getting the park built, starting with a petition drive. Sophia leads a group of diverse people who hold signs asking people to sign the petition. The illustration shows Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, and Ada Twist from Beaty’s previous books. Although their appearance is quick, readers will enjoy seeing the familiar characters. The petition illustration shows a child in a wheelchair as well as children of different races. Sophia is Latinx, drawn with medium brown skin, and her abuelo speaks one line in Spanish.

Written in rhyme, Sofia Valdez, Future Prez will entertain readers with funny events and detailed illustrations. However, the story lacks Sophia’s though process and the theme is not well developed. Nevertheless, the story would be a great conversation starter because readers will be inspired with Sophia’s can-do attitude, her leadership skills, and her desire to help others.

Even though Sofia Valdez, Future Prez is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The rhyming makes the story fun to read aloud. However, some pages are text-heavy and have up to 11 lines on a single page. Sofia Valdez, Future Prez’s will entertain readers as it teaches that one person can make a difference.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 The 26-Story Treehouse: Pirate Problem

Life is never boring in a 13-story treehouse, especially when you add 13 more stories! Andy and Terry have added a bumper car rink, a skate ramp with a crocodile-pit hazard, a mud-fighting arena, an antigravity chamber, an ice-skating pond with real ice-skating penguins, a mechanical bull named Kevin, an Automatic Tattoo Machine, an ice-cream parlor with seventy-eight flavors, and the Maze of Doom–a maze so complicated nobody has escaped. Fun seems endless in their new 26-story treehouse!

Distracted by their new, amazing stories, Andy and Terry do not notice their new book is due Friday until their publisher, Mr. Big Nose, threatens to fire them. While writing their book about how Andy, Terry, and Jill, their animal-friendly neighbor, met, Captain Woodenhead suddenly appears. Threatening to destroy the treehouse and enslave Andy, Terry, and Jill on his ship, the trio must outwit and outsmart the captain and his evil crew before time runs out. Can the boys save their treehouse and fight off the pirates all while writing their new book?

The Treehouse Series is an imaginative series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton created a silly story that will have young readers laughing from beginning to end. Along with their crazy slapstick scenarios, Griffiths and Denton teach readers about the importance of friendship. Andy, Terry, and Jill must work together throughout the book to solve their complex problems. Without each other, Andy, Terry, and Jill would never have been able to perform “open shark surgery,” fight off pirates or escape the Maze of Doom. Also, the funny black-and-white illustrations contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

However, The 26-Story Treehouse may upset some readers. Before his entire crew dies in a terrible shipwreck, Captain Woodenhead’s head is bitten off by a giant sea monster. Later in the book, he is pictured being eaten alive by man-eating sharks.

The 26-Story Treehouse has very simple vocabulary and sentence structure, reading more like a comic book rather than an actual chapter book. In the end, The 26-Story Treehouse is an easy-to-read story that will teach the reader practical lessons about friendship while causing readers to giggle.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • During a sea battle, Captain Woodenhead fights the large, greedy fish nicknamed Gorgonzola. “The pirate captain drew his cutlass and tried to spear Gorgonzola from the deck of his ship, but as he leaned over the side, the fiendish Gorgonzola leaped right out of the water and bit the pirate’s head clean off his neck!” After fashioning a new wooden head for himself, Captain Woodenhead was swallowed whole. Inside Gorgonzola’s stomach, he found some dynamite and his old head, which was moldy and waterlogged. After putting his head back on his shoulders, “he did what any self-respecting pirate captain would have done. He collected up all the barrels of dynamite, tied them together, lit the fuse, and blasted that beast to pieces!” Gorgonzola, a large sea monster, is pictured blasted to pieces for two pages.
  • If Andy and Terry don’t open the treehouse and let Captain Woodenhead in, he threatens to blow up the treehouse. The Captain yells, “Men, prepare the canon.”
  • After tricking the captain’s crew, Andy, Terry, and Jill are chased by Captain Woodenhead with a cutlass and gun in his hand. This is a one-page event.
  • At the end of the book, Captain Woodenhead threatens to kill Andy, Terry, and Jill. Then, the captain falls into the man-eating shark tank and there’s “a wild frenzy of flashing fins and teeth, and then all is quiet.” The Captain is eaten alive. This is illustrated over two pages and does show him in the mouth of a shark, but there is no blood or gore involved.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Jill uses “Dr. Numbskull’s Sleepy Shark Sleeping Potion” to sedate the man-eating sharks before their “open shark surgery.” During the surgery, the shark’s kidneys and intestines are shown along with some of the ridiculous things they have eaten.

Language

  • After getting lost in the Maze of Doom, one of the penguins blames it on his “stupid GPS!”
  • Andy thinks that using their man-eating shark tank as a washing machine was one of Terry’s dumbest ideas. “You know, Terry has done some dumb things in the past, but this has got to be the dumbest ever!”
  • When he struggles to put on his swimsuit before he enters the shark tank, Andy says, “Stupid tight wetsuit.”
  • Captain Woodenhead enslaves Andy and Terry and forces them to swab the poop deck. Terry exclaims, “Oh, gross, there’s poop on the poop deck.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

Klawde

Klawde is not your average cat. He’s an emperor from another planet, exiled to Earth. He’s cruel. He’s cunning. He’s brilliant… and he’s about to become Raj Banerjee’s best friend. Whether he likes it or not.

Klawde had everything. Sharp claws. Fine fur. And, being the High Commander of the planet Lyttyrboks, an entire world of warlike cats at his command. But when he is stripped of his feline throne, he is sentenced to the worst possible punishment: exile to a small planet in a quiet corner of the universe… named Earth.

Raj had everything. A cool apartment in Brooklyn. Three friends who lived in his building. And pizza and comics within walking distance. But when his mom gets a job in Elba, Oregon and he is forced to move, all of that changes. It’s now the beginning of summer, he has no friends, and because of his mother’s urgings, he has joined a nature camp.

It’s only when his doorbell rings and he meets a fur ball of a cat that Raj begins to think maybe his luck is turning around.

Klawde does not like Earth. He doesn’t like humans. He doesn’t even like his human boy Raj. In order to leave Earth and get revenge on his home planet, Klawde has no choice but to reveal his real Identity to Raj. In order to get Raj to help him, Klawde tries to hide his true nature. He is hateful, evil, and continuously plotting and manipulating. On the other hand, Raj is completely ordinary and relatable. He is unhappy about moving and afraid that he will never make friends. Readers get an inside view of both Klawde’s and Raj’s thought processes because each chapter switches between the two characters’ points of view.

Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat is exceptionally engaging, humorous, and fun to read. Readers will appreciate the short paragraphs, the easy vocabulary, and the hilarious blue-and-black illustrations. Not only do the illustrations help the reader imagine the story’s events, but they also highlight Klawde’s various emotions of misery, distaste, and disgust. Readers will fall in love with the evil alien cat, understand Raj’s conflicts, and cringe when Raj’s mother expertly wields her power over the household.

Despite the humorous tone of the story, readers will learn the importance of friendship and working together. Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat mixes realistic human conflicts with an outlandish alien warlord cat to create an action-packed story that readers will love. Readers will be eager to pick up the next book in the series, Enemies.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Klawde was napping, his enemies came for him. “Before I could even unsheathe my claws, they pounced atop me. They tied me up and chained my paws, and then they dragged me from my holding cell into the Supremest Court of All Galactic Order.” When Klawde’s minion speaks up for Klawde, “someone smacked him on the back of the head.”
  • Klawde is taken to the veterinarian for vaccinations. When the veterinarian tried to give him a shot, “with a bloodcurdling yowl, Klawde flew at the vet’s face and latched on. The vet started screaming and flailing his arms around.” Later, Klawde explains how he attacked. “First, my claws ripped at its hands. Next, its face. Oh, how sweet the feeling! I left long red scratch marks all over its vile, furless cheeks. When I was but seconds away from murdering it, my Humans pulled me off.”
  • While at camp, Raj meets some kids that are bullies. When they were playing nature tag, “Scorpion and his pals took the kill-or-get-killed concept way too seriously. Their idea of tag was to shove the younger kids into the mud and try to step on us.”
  • When Raj’s father tries to give Klawde “dried food pellets,” Klawde bites him. Then Raj’s father put “the finger I’d just bitten into his mouth.”
  • While at camp, a group of bullies throws rocks at Raj and his group.
  • When Klawde goes to scratch Raj’s mother, she tells him, “If you try it, I’ll skin you alive and turn you into a fur hat.”
  • Klawde sneaks to Raj’s camp. During a game, Klawde thinks the camp’s counselor is “planning to devour my human—or worse!” In order to help Raj, Klawde “paused, took aim, and launched myself into the air. . . My aim was true, and I made a direct hit on the plant-monster’s head. My claws made quick work of its face. . . I showed the monster no mercy, but its strength was that of ten thousand cats. It grasped me by the neck and tore me off itself. Then it dangled me from its hideous leafy paws.” When the counselor grabs Klawde, Raj gets angry and jumps out of the tree. Raj lands on the counselor and Klawde runs away. The fight is described over five pages.
  • When Raj and Klawde return home, Raj calls Klawde “kitty.” Klawde tells him, “Don’t ever call me that again or I will vaporize you across ten galactic quadrants!” Then Klawde swipes at Raj, “leaving a bloody scratch on my finger. It hurt a little, but I didn’t care.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • In his thoughts, Klawde often calls others names. The characters also call each other names often, including losers, morons, idiot, fool, jerk, little babies, and rodent.
  • When a cat crouches in attack mode, Klawde thinks, “At least these Earth cats were not all meek morons!”
  • Klawde is given a mouse with catnip inside of it. In order to get another one, Klawde says, “Mrow,” and then he wonders, “What had become of me? I had said it! The idiot Earth cat word! These mouse dolls—this was how the Humans controlled felines. This was how they made Earth cats stupid! The fiends!”
  • When the TV remote is broken, Raj’s dad says, “Darn it!”
  • As part of a contest, Raj climbs up a tree. When he gets to the top, he wonders, “How the heck was I going to get back down?”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Great Big Boom

When Gina disappears into a portal, no one knows where she is. But Hilo knows that friends don’t let friends disappear. Hilo and D.J. know they must find Gina and bring her home. They know jumping into a portal will lead them on a dangerous adventure, but they are determined to get Gina back. Can they find Gina and make it back to Earth before the portal closes?

Readers will fall in love with Hilo, the lovable living machine from another planet. The Great Big Boom takes readers on an epic adventure to a world where two clans have been battling for centuries. As Hilo searches for a way home, he struggles with regaining his memories. Hilo is afraid that he will discover that he is truly evil.

In the battle scenes, the characters spend more time running away than fighting and none of the characters are seriously injured. Hilo and D.J. go to “Oshun, the last magical planet” and find their friend Polly who loves to tell puns. Polly introduces Hilo and D.J. to a clan of fierce-talking cats. Readers will giggle at the sibling arguments and the silly antics of the Furback Clan.

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions.   For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the story’s plots build on each other.

Hilo’s story demonstrates how one person can make a positive impact on others. Hilo learns that a person can always change for the better and that past deeds do not have to define you. The Great Big Boom keeps readers entertained with mystery, fighting, magic, and wonderfully complex characters. At the end of the story, readers will be eager for Hilo’s next adventure, Waking the Monsters.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • The military surrounds Hilo and D.J. with tanks but when the two boys beginning crying, “I want my mommy! Waaaaaah!” the army men get confused. The boys are put in a holding cell. Hilo holds an object and recites a spell: “Time is the stone that falls. Time is the river that crawls. Turn the water and rock. Turn back the sun and the clock.” The orb “can erase the memories of an entire world from two sunsets.” After the spell, a man lets the kids out of the cell.
  • A giant hamster-like creature that is carrying an alligator creature chases D.J. and Hilo. Someone uses lasers to hit the alligator creature and the hamster-like creature in the butt. The two creatures run away.
  • An elephant squid grabs someone and D.J.’s sister uses a magical blast to shrink the elephant squid. When the squid shrinks, the person he captured kicks him.
  • Hilo and his friends are gobbled up by a fish, who takes them to a sorcerer. The fish spits the group out of its mouth.
  • The Scale Tale Clan tries to attack Hilo and his friends, but the house they are in begins grabbing them and punching them. The Scale Tale Clan is able to capture one creature. When Hilo goes to save his friend, the Scale Tale Clan surrounds him with weapons, but Hilo uses an electromagnetic pulse to disable the weapons. The two clans battle each other.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • The characters in the story call others names. For example, humans are called “hairless monkeys.” Other names creatures are called include putrid, slime-caked salamander, odorous toe crust from a troll’s diseased foot, snake face, and fish-bottomed dung herders.
  • Someone tells Hilo and D.J. that they stink “just like a buffalo’s keister.”
  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an exclamation.

Supernatural

  • Hilo is a living, feeling machine that runs off of solar energy, can fly, and shoots lasers out of his hands.
  • Two kids use magic to turn their brother into a sandwich. Their mother shouts, “Turn your brother back before the cockroach eats him!”
  • Someone uses an incantation to bring Hilo’s memories back. The person chants, “Deep in the sea, below the murk. Beneath the cavers, trapped in dirt. Rise up from the ground, overturn the dark moss. Return to use the visions we have lost.”
  • A sorcerer uses a spell to put Hilo and his friends “inside of Hilo’s memories. Our bodies are entranced inside my house. Oh. . . We’re in Hilo’s head.”
  • The Scale Tale Clan has a “fire orb” that makes them weapons.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Mercy Watson to the Rescue

Mr. and Mrs. Watson have a pig named Mercy. Mercy loves when Mr. and Mrs. Watson snuggle her up in bed and sing her to sleep. One night, Mercy decides she doesn’t want to be alone, so she hops into Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s bed. Mercy likes being snuggled up between the two. But soon there is a boom and a crack. The Watson’s bed begins to fall through the floor. How will Mercy come to the Watsons’ rescue?

Silly and suspenseful, Mercy will have readers giggling to the very end. Younger readers will relate to Mercy, who just wants to snuggle up in bed next to Mr. and Mrs. Watson. When Mercy is woken up in the middle of the night, she just wants some warm buttered toast to fill her grumbling tummy. How could Mercy know that looking for toast would wake the Lincoln sisters, who would call the fire department, which sends two firefighters just in time to save Mr. and Mrs. Watson?

With large font, short sentences, and lots of references to buttery toast, Mercy’s adventures are the perfect read-aloud bedtime story. The easy vocabulary and the double-spaced lines of text will make the story accessible to readers who are transitioning to chapter books. Each page contains brightly colored illustrations that use exaggerated facial expressions to show the humans’ wide range of emotions. The frightened neighbor, her opinionated sister, and the helpful fireman all come to life with silly illustrations that readers will want to look at again and again. In the end, Mercy and her love of buttery toast bring everyone together in a happy conclusion. Mercy Watson Saves the Day is a fun story that will leave readers with a smile.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When the bed begins to fall, Mr. Watson said, “What the –?”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 Dog Days

The trials and tribulations of middle school life are temporarily over for Greg Heffley. As summer approaches, there are no bullies or classes to worry about. Greg is ready to kick back and enjoy junk food, TV, and video games. However, after his summer vacation is canceled, a three-month guilt trip starts for Greg. Greg now has to put up with his mom’s constant demands to go outside and read a book, his dad and his “bonding” experiences, a terrible birthday party, a new dog, and a fight with his best friend, Rowley. How will Greg survive?

Written in Greg’s own journal, the conflict of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days revolves around everything that happens in Greg’s life. It is written from his 12-year-old perspective. The story contains a lot of bathroom and childish humor. At one point in the story, Greg, who is almost naked, has to chase after his dog. At another point in the story, Greg has to save his younger brother, Manny, before he accidentally washes his hands in the urinal.

Greg Heffley is a well-developed and relatable character for young audiences. Although Greg is lazy, petty, narcissistic, and cowardly, he does have moments of kindness. Greg will show readers the importance of sharing and thinking of others. He even points out some of the flaws in his own terrible behavior, showing kids that procrastinating and sleeping all day isn’t worth it. The consistently funny black-and-white illustrations, which look more like a comic strip than a highly illustrated graphic novel, help break up the text and keep even the most reluctant readers engaged.

Greg’s perspective is often pessimistic and at times can be downright mean. Greg demonstrates qualities, such as laziness and selfishness, that parents would not want their children to emulate. However, the story has relatable conflicts and shows readers the different perspectives of children and parents. Greg’s behavior could lead to a good discussion between parents and children about how people should act. Readers do not have to read these books in order to enjoy them. The fun, easy-to-read story will teach valuable and practical lessons to readers. Despite the childish humor, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days will entertain readers and have them laughing out loud.

Sexual Content

  • At the beginning of the book, Greg and Rowley are strolling around the country club pool and he says, “We’re both bachelors at the moment, and during the summer it’s better to be unattached.”
  • Greg has a crush on Heather Hills, a lifeguard at the public pool, and hits on her every day for weeks. However, he “…didn’t mention Heather Hills to Mom, because [he doesn’t] need her getting in the middle of my love life.”

Violence

  • Rodrick shoves Greg off the high dive.
  • Grandpa accidentally runs over Greg’s dad’s dog while Rodrick’s fish eats Greg’s fish.
  • Greg snaps Rowley with a rubber band, leaving him with a red mark on his arm.
  • Rowley “crushed [Greg’s] hand to smithereens” with a hammer because he thought it was the Muddy Hand (a terrifying horror movie character) coming to get him.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Both bathroom and immature humor are used frequently and include words like poop, idiot, pee, and dumb.
  • Poop jokes are told frequently. For example, Rodrick wants to name the dog Turtle so he can call it “Turd for short.”
  • Scared that he’s not going out enough, Greg’s mom invites Fregley over and suggests that he and Greg should play outside together. Greg glances out the window and says, “I think Fregley might be naked” when he sees Fregley shirtless behind a tree.
  • When Greg was younger, he used to go swim in the baby pool, but he quit after he figured little kids would pee in the pool.
  • Greg’s dad went back-to-school shopping and the next day Greg says, “Well, THAT was a dumb move because Dad did all of his shopping at the pharmacy.”
  • Greg’s at the public pool and asks a lifeguard, “Does Mrs. Arciaga REALLY think it’s a good idea to wear a bikini when she’s eight months pregnant?”
  • Greg has the highest score on an arcade machine called Thunder Volt at the boardwalk, and his name was at the top of the high scores list. However, the person that had the second highest score on the list listed their name as “Is an idiot.” The high score list says “Greg Heffley …. is an idiot.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Greg’s Gramma prays to the Lord to help her find her dollar savers coupon book while Greg prays, “Dear Lord, please let Mr. Jefferson get hit on the head so he forgets about the money I owe him. And please let me get past the third level of Twisted Wizard without having to use any of my bonus health packs. Amen, and thank you in advance.”
  • Greg describes a church trip on Sunday. He says, “Today’s sermon was called ‘Jesus in disguise,’ and it was about how you should treat everyone you meet with kindness because you never know which person is really Jesus pretending to be someone else.”

by Matthew Perkey

 

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